


The Best Gift

by Shanoodle



Category: Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound
Genre: Gen, Mother's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-11
Updated: 2015-05-11
Packaged: 2018-03-30 03:08:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3920689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shanoodle/pseuds/Shanoodle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ness plans a surprise for Mother's Day with a mysterious stranger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Gift

Ness poked his head around the corner of his bedroom, looking down the hallway. The first rays of sunlight shone from a window behind the boy, lighting up the staircase ahead. He stood still and listened. Birds chirped outside and King snored downstairs, but the house remained quiet otherwise.

_Perfect,_  Ness thought.

He crept past Tracy’s and Mom’s rooms, down the stairs, and toward the pile of shoes beside the front door. King lay curled under the coffee table, opening an eye and lifting his head as the boy passed.

_“Who in the world gets up this early on a Sunday?”_  the dog thought to him. “Is something wrong?”

_“No, boy. I gotta get Mom her present,”_ Ness thought back, putting his shoes on.

_“Oh. How nice. I’d love to get her something too, but it’s not like I have money. Or hands.”_

Ness nodded to himself, a smile spreading across his face.  _“I’ll be back in a little bit.”_

_“All right.”_  King lay his head back down.  _“Please don’t slam the door on your way out.”_

_“You got it.”_

Ness pulled the door open just enough for him to squeeze through. Once outside, he clicked the door shut.

_“That’s way too loud,”_  King’s voice muttered in his head. Ness rolled his eyes; he was a good dog, but he complained about the silliest things.

The boy started down the path to town, letting the cool morning air blow against his skin. Dew sprinkled along the grass and tree leaves glittered under the sun. It was good weather for Mother’s Day.

The path took him through the woods. Halfway through, Ness stopped, shoved a hand into his back pocket and felt his ATM card.

_Yep, still perfect. Even if Tracy lost our present somehow, Mom’s still gonna have a great day._

A few minutes later, Ness arrived at the drugstore and slipped inside. He strode to the back of the furthest aisle on his left. A man dressed in a brown coat and hat followed and met him there. His name was Walter.

“Does she know anything?” he muttered.

“I don’t think so,“ Ness replied.

Walter looked from side to side. "You bring the money?”

“We didn’t agree on money, you dork.”

He chuckled. “I know, I’m only kidding. So, should I just wait at the hotel?”

“Yeah, I think so. Maybe around noon.”

“Perfect. Then I guess I’ll meet you outside the library.”

The man started to turn around.

“Wait!” Ness said.

“What is it?”

“Would you mind buying something for me?”

He faced Ness again, crossing his arms. “Depends on what it is.”

“Well… .” The boy adjusted with his hat, frowning. “Maybe a really small bouquet of flowers?”

The man tilted his head. “Why a small one?”

“It’s for a friend.”

“Well, I’ll see what I can find. Is that it?”

“Yeah. See you later!”

“You too.”

Walter turned back around and sped out of the store. The cashier gawked at him, then returned to her crossword puzzle, shaking her head. Ness followed him out a moment later.

He spent the way home giggling and imagining his mother’s mouth falling open at the sight of her present. And when the boy did get back home, he went to his room, set the alarm on his clock for 11:45, and fell back to sleep thinking about it.

* * *

_Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt!_

The boy shot up, slamming his hand on the clock and quieting it down. He jumped out of bed and started down the hall.

“Are you sure you can’t come?” His mother – Carol – said downstairs. “Not even for a couple hours?”

Raising an eyebrow, Ness squatted at the top of the stairs.

“It’s been months since we’ve seen each other! You have to try. It’s Mother’s Day.”

For a moment, the only sounds came from a soap opera playing on the TV.

“Fine, don’t come. See if I care.”

She slammed the phone and said nothing more.

Ness went down the stairs, and when he reached the bottom, the boy started biting his lip.

His mother sat on the couch, her head buried in her hands.

“Mom?” Ness said.

The woman wiped her face and looked up at him.

“Oh,” she replied. “Good morning, honey.”

“Was that … ?”

She nodded. “He’s not coming.”

Ness turned his head toward the carpet.

“Maybe he’ll see us on your birthday next month,“ the boy said.

Carol only grunted. Both of their mouths closed. Ness shuffled his feet. His mother sniffled.

"Is it okay if I go to the store, Mom?” he said half a minute later.

His mother tilted her head. “Are you buying me a gift? "Oh, Ness. You really don’t have to.”

“You’re right, but I’m gonna do it anyway.”

She let out a laugh. “Well, if you want, go ahead.”

“Thanks!” Ness started putting his shoes back on. “I won’t be gone long. Would you let Tracy know when she wakes up?”

“Sure. I love you, dear.”

“Love you too!” He opened the door and stepped outside.

King was in the front yard, laying on his belly. The dog looked up at him, wagging his tail.

_“Did you give her your present yet?”_  the dog thought to Ness.

_“No, not yet. I’m actually on my way to get it.”_

_“But I thought you did that this morning.”_

_“I lied. Sorry, but I couldn’t risk anyone knowing about this before we were ready. Even you.”_

_“‘We?’ Who’s 'we?’”_

The boy started toward the library.  _“You’ll find out!”_

Upon reaching it, he found Walter leaning against the wall, holding a flower bouquet the size of Ness’s arm.  They met, hugged each other, and set off back to the house.

He found King sitting in front of the door. And when he saw the two coming up the path, he sprang up and bolted toward the man, his tail a blur.

“Hey, ya little rascal,” he said, ruffling the dog’s head. “Been a while, hasn’t it?’

King barked and licked his hand.

"Could you hand me those flowers?” Ness said.

“Sure.” The man held out the bouquet, and the boy took it.

“King! Here, boy!”

The dog stepped toward Ness and sat down.

_“You’re really something, y'know that?”_  King thought to him.

_“I know,”_  Ness thought back. He held out the flowers. _“Not to sound weird, but could you put this in your mouth?”_

_“That sounds really weird, but fine.”_  He took the narrow end of the bouquet in his mouth.

“You ready?” Ness said to Walter.

“Ready if you guys are.”

They crept up to the door. Ness leaned up and looked inside its window. Mom still sat on the couch, watching TV. Tracy was at her side.

Taking a breath, the boy opened it.

Everyone’s heads turned toward him, then toward the man. And Carol’s mouth fell open.

“Dad?” Tracy said.

“Yep,” the man replied, nodding. “Dad.” He looked up at his wife. “Happy Mother’s Day, honey!”

“But I thought … I mean, you were–”

“I was going to spend today at work, but Ness convinced me not to a couple days ago. And in turn, I convinced my boss to let me take a day off. Unpaid, of course.”

His wife only gaped at him. Her eyes shined. A moment later, Tracy nudged the woman’s shoulder.

“Go on, kiss him!” she said. “Or smack him. Do something.”

Carol shook her head, stood, and walked up to Walter. They wrapped their arms around each other, and she gave him a long kiss. Tracy laughed, ran up, and flung her arms around her father.

And then Carol smacked him.

“What makes you think you can just toy with my emotions like that?” she said, breaking away. The woman glared at her husband, who was rubbing the red mark on his cheek.

“I had to make it convincing,” he said. “You might’ve suspected otherwise.”

She nodded. “Maybe, but still, I don’t want you to do that again. I don’t like these kinds of surprise.”

“We promise, Mom,” Ness said.

“Good,” she replied, facing her son. Carol then turned back to Walter. Their eyes met, and she smiled.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” Walter replied, returning her smile.

“So, can we show you our presents now or what?” Tracy interrupted.

“Of course we can!” Carol said.

* * *

While Tracy went upstairs to get hers, the rest of them gathered at the coffee table. King waddled over to Carol’s side, facing her. The bouquet was still in his mouth.

“Aww, look at that,” Carol said, her face reddening slightly as she took the flowers and set them on the table. The woman scratched his ears. “You’re a good dog.”

“Y'know, we all sorta bought that,” Ness said.

“Oh. Well, you’re good too, I guess.”

“Hey!”

Carol held back her laughter and faced the two. “I can’t believe you all went through this much trouble for me.”

“It’s your day,” Walter said. “Well, one of them. It’s not like we couldn’t do anything.”

Tracy came running down the stairs, carrying a box under her arm. She and Ness eyed each other.

“Don’t think I didn’t see that,” their mother said. She looked at her son. “You’ve been awful busy, haven’t you?”

“I’m always busy,” he replied.

Tracy tossed the box onto the table. “C'mon, open it!”

Carol sank her fingernails into the cardboard and ripped it apart. A video case laid inside. She checked the cover, and her eyes widened.

“Tracy, no. You got me  _The Old and the Restful?_ ”

“I sure did!”

Carol leaned her head down, squinting her eyes. “Is that Bill Ding’s signature?!”

Ness and Tracy looked at each other, giggling.

“And don’t think I didn’t see  _that_ ,” their mother said. She set the movie down and sat back against her chair. “How did you get this?”

“We teleported into his office!” Ness said. “I mean, we got thrown out immediately, but we just kept going back and back and back until he gave up.”

Walter smiled and shook his head. “You’ve probably scared that man half to death.”

Tracy frowned. “Do people’s faces get all red and puffy when their scared?”

Her parents burst into laughter and kept laughing until their faces were red and puffy.

“Gosh, I don’t know what to say,” Carol said. “This is wonderful! I love you all so much.”

And they loved her back.


End file.
